*** FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ***
DELAWARE 2, OKLAHOMA 1
The No. 5-ranked University of Oklahoma® Hockey club started off sluggish today at the ACHA D1 National Championship Tournament and ended up paying the price as No. 12 Delaware upset the Sooners 2-1 Wednesday morning in Youngstown, Ohio. The Blue Hens got on the board first with a power play goal by Mike Gardner at 7:49 of the first to stun the Sooners and take an early 1-0 lead. Kevin Kennedy evened the score when he ripped a power play wrister over a downed Delaware goalie at 14:19 of the first period. The Sooners came out flying in the second period and were taking the game to Delaware, hitting at least one goal post in the early part of the period. However, with OU on the power play, Delaware intercepted an errant pass in the Sooners defensive zone and scored short-handed to give the Blue Hens a 2-1 lead. After the short-handed goal, the air seemed to go out of the Sooners game for the rest of the second period. The team regained its composure during the intermission and came out for the third period determined to even the score. However, the combination of untimely Sooners penalties, Delaware dumping the puck at every opportunity and an effective collapsing defense by the Blue Hens thwarted the Sooners comeback attempt.
Sooners goaltender Aaron Schmeilski 28 of 30 Delaware shots while UD’s Jimmy Depfer made 25 saves on 26 shots. OU was 1 for 5 on the power play while Delaware was 1 for 6 with the man advantage.
The loss drops OU’s record to 30-5-0 while Delaware improves to 17-11-0. The Sooners remain in Youngstown, Ohio for one more game at the ACHA D1 National Championship Tournament tomorrow in a consolation game against an opponent yet to be determined.
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Delaware 1 – 1 – 0 -- 2
Oklahoma 1 – 0 – 0 -- 1
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FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, UD, Gardner (Neeld, Lankelis), 7:49 (pp); 2, OU, Kennedy (Curtiss, Hetrick), 14:19 (pp). Penalties: OU, Denton (slashing), 6:24; UD, Marttinen (hooking), 13:27; UD, Sexton (check from behind), 15:31; OU, Petty (hooking), 18:54.
SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 3, UD, Giblin (Bailey), 8:37 (sh). Penalties: UD, Lankelis (hooking), 3:50; UD, Marttinen (slashing), 7:23; OU, Ritter (roughing), 12:47.
THIRD PERIOD – Scoring: None. Penalties: OU, Denton (tripping), 2:40; OU, Hall (hooking), 6:05; UD, Chockla (check from behind), 11:22; OU, Hetrick (interference), 19:04.
Shots on goal:
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Delaware 8 7 15 - 30
Oklahoma 11 8 7 - 26
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Goalies: OU, Schmeilski (30 shots, 28 saves); UD, Depfer (26, 25).
### BOOMER SOONER! ###
MEDIA CONTACT:
Chris Perry, General Manager
University of Oklahoma® Hockey
Phone: (405) 631-2709 / Cell: (405) 488-4048
Email: [email protected] / Fax: (405) 631-3303
www.icehockey.ou.edu / www.ouhockey.com
Originally Posted by badger
